We explored many lighthouses during our time in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. While camping at Porcupine Wilderness State Park, we decided to begin our lighthouse adventure in the neighboring town of Ontonagon, Michigan.
The lighthouse does not have any electricity, so they only open it from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. from mid-May to mid-October. Make sure you check this website to verify those times are current. They have a tiny parking area in front of the lighthouse, so do not bring your trailer here.
They charge a $5 admission fee, which includes a nice pamphlet about this beautifully restored lighthouse. A guide shared more of the history with us on the ground floor, and then we climbed the narrow stairs to enjoy the upper floors on our own.
You can climb all the way to the top. You will notice that the lighthouse is no longer on the water anymore as the land has filled in around it. A few vessels are on the grounds.
Ontonagon County Historical Society Museum
You can continue the adventure at the Ontonagon County Historical Society Museum. Ontonagon is the oldest permanent settlement on the south shore of Lake Superior. At this museum, you can enjoy learning about the history and culture of the area.
Explore Downtown
After our adventure at the lighthouse, we chose to explore the town, enjoying the small gift shops.
Syl’s Cafe
By this time, we needed sustenance and decided to eat an early lunch at Syl’s Cafe. Mike had the wild rice cranberry turkey melt with sweet potato fries. I chose the sourdough chicken club. They also have hamburgers, breakfast skillets, and of course, pasties! As you can see from the picture above, they offer a wide variety of baked goods and desserts. We couldn’t resist the carrot cake! So good!!!
Summary
I am glad we began our lighthouse adventure with the one at Ontonagon. Although it may not look like the traditional picture of lighthouses, the tour gave us the perfect foundation for our visits to the other lighthouses later in our trip.